"The provincial governor should be held morally responsible for it. We will go to court."
KATHMANDU, APRIL 16
Sudurpaschim is grappling with government formation following a power coalition change at the centre, which consequently resulted in a rift within the Nagarik Unmukti Party embodied in discord between Resham Lal Chaudhary (husband) and Ranjita Chaudhary (Spouse). This spousal conflict reflected in the intra-party factionalism took a new turn after Province Governor Nazir Miya rejected two chief ministerial claims from the Nagarik Unmukti Party and extended the deadline for submitting claims to lead Sudurpaschim by two days.
On Sunday, two NUP lawmakers declared their candidacy for the Sudurpaschim chief minister. Laxman Kishore Chaudhary of the NUP from Resham Chaudhary's faction, with the support of the Nepali Congress and the CPN (US), and Kailash Kumar Chaudhary of the NUP's from Ranjita Chaudhary's faction, with the support of the CPN-UML and the CPN-MC and an independent lawmaker.
However, after two days, the provincial governor, Nazir Miya, called for resubmission for claims again, saying the claims of both were not substantially supported and province head could not reach a conclusion.
Miya extended the time and asked political parties to submit their claims according to Article 168(2) of the constitution. According to a notice issued by the Province Governor Office, the deadline for submitting the Chief Minister's claim is tomorrow (April 18) at 5:00 p.m.
On Tuesday, the CPN (US) withdrew its support for NUP lawmaker Laxman Kishore. Dirgha Sodari, the Sudurpaschim Parliamentary Party leader of the Unified Socilaist Party, has stepped up to submit his candidacy for Chief Minister.
It appears that the CPN (US) for the Chief Minister's claim will be able to garner enough PA members' support to enable him form the provincial government Despite the federal power equation, seeing the opportunity to become Chief Minister, the party withdrew its support and decided to stake for CM's post.
A meeting of the CPN (UML), CPN-MC, and Nagarik Unmukti Party in Dhangadhi on Tuesday decided to support Sodari for Chief Minister.
Furthermore, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, senior CPN (US) leader Jhalnath Khanal, and Ranjita Chaudhary, president of the Nagarik Unmukti Party, held a discussion in Baluwatar on Tuesday to resolve the political crisis in Sudurpaschim.
During the Baluwatar discussion, Khanal stated that an agreement had been reached to give the Sudurpaschim Chief Minister to the CPN (Unified Socialist Party).
After Kamal Bahadur Shah, the leader of the Nepali Congress parliamentary party, resigned as Chief Minister on April 4, provincial chief Nazir Miya called for the formation of a new government on April 5.
On the other hand, Laxman Kishore Chauwdhary and NC leader Kamal Bahdur Shah have stated that they will sue the Province Governor for extending the deadline.
Addressing a press conference at the Sudurpaschim Chief Minister's official residence on Tuesday, leaders from both parties said that they would go to court for justice after province head Nazir Miya canceled the claim and extended the deadline for resubmission.
Chaudhary also complained that the provincial chief had violated the law by extending the time for forming the government. He said, "The provincial governor should be held morally responsible for it."
Kamal Bahadur Shah has also expressed that he will fight a legal battle, claiming that the province's head has committed an unconstitutional act. Aside from that, political pressure would also be created.
"Laxman Kishore Chaudhary should have been appointed as Chief Minister. He had the majority, but the provincial chief took his time and extended it, which was unconstitutional," he said. "We will go to court."
He said that the CPN (US) also failed to show ethical behaviour. He claimed that the CPN Unified Socialists lacked morality as it initially supported NUP lawmaker Lakshman Kishore Chauwdhary and then withdrew support for personal gain.
